Samsung’s W2019 Folding Smartphone Has A Thick, Obstrusive Form

At its Developer Conference that is currently underway in San Francisco, Korean tech giant Samsung showed off its Infinity Display, on a form factor that allows users to use the gadget like a smartphone and a tablet. However, this latest gadget isn’t the only device Samsung is working on. The Korean tech giant is also working on a folding smartphone dubbed as the W2019. Now we’ve got a leaked hands-on video for this device. Take a look below for more details.

Samsung’s plans for developing a folding smartphone have been in the rumor mill for a long time. Several reports (and leaks) have claimed that this device will resemble smartphones such as the Moto Razr. Devices such as the Razr caught the public imagination before Apple’s iPhone permanently altered the mobile landscape.

To that end, Samsung’s folding smartphone is expected to provide a blend of the old and new. The device will fold along the horizontal axis, and provide the user with two different touchscreen panels. Safe to say, it’s an ambitious design goal and as a result, the gadget’s early prototypes will not be aesthetically pleasing. Now, a hands-on video of Samsung’s W2019 shows exactly this.

Keep in mind that the W2019 is a different gadget from Samsung’s smartphone-cum-tablet that the company displayed yesterday at the SDC. The W2019 goes to show just how thick a gadget with such lofty design goals can be. Samsung is unlikely to market this device in the near future unless the company can bring down thickness or reduce manufacturing costs.

Additionally, when we take a look at its buttons and keypad, the Moto Razr comes to mind quite easily. This isn’t a good sign either, as Samsung will really need to sell users on the W2019’s unique features if the market is to even be slightly receptive to the gadget. What’s more is that the W2019 is also rumored to be DJ Koh’s (Samsung’s mobile head) pet project. This, in turn, goes to show that perhaps Samsung’s mobile head needs to focus his attention on gadgets that are technologically feasible.

Thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comments section below and stay tuned. We’ll keep you updated on the latest.